Beth's Fruitcake

You probably know fruitcakes have been around for a long time. What is sometimes subjected to disparaging comments was at one time prized as a travel food, both in this life and to send with the deceased into the next.

Culinary lore claims that ancient Egyptians placed an early version of the fruitcake on the tombs of loved ones, perhaps as food for the afterlife. But fruitcakes were not common until Roman times, when pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and barley mash were mixed together to form a ring-shaped dessert. Prized for its portability and shelf life, Roman soldiers often brought fruitcake with them to the battlefields. Later, in the Middle Ages, preserved fruit, spices and honey were added to the mix and fruitcakes gained popularity with crusaders for their portability and their longevity.

Medieval Kitchen

Fruitcakes became popular all over Europe. Recipes varied greatly in different countries throughout the ages, depending on the available ingredients. For a time in the Middle Ages, fruit cakes made with butter and sugar were banned in Europe because they were thought to be too rich and tasty. Pope Innocent VIII (1432–1492) finally granted the use of butter, in a written permission known as the ‘Butter Letter' or Butterbrief in 1490, giving permission to Saxony to use milk and butter.

Starting in the 16th century, sugar from the American Colonies (and the discovery that high concentrations of sugar could preserve fruits) created an excess of candied fruit, thus making fruitcakes more affordable and popular. 

My grandmother, daughter of 19^th century English immigrants, used to make fruitcake using a recipe she claimed came from England. She never gave the recipe to me while she lived since she was sure I would share it with all the ladies at church, then everyone would have her good fruitcake recipe. My aunt inherited my grandmother’s recipe box and sent me the recipe. In honor of my grandmother’s wishes, I still don’t share it outside the family.

The practice of adding alcohol to fruitcake to help preserve it started in the Victorian era. (My grandmother's parents' era. She used brandy-soaked cheesecloth to wrap her fruitcakes she made at least a month before the holiday season. She then wrapped the whole works in aluminum foil. She swore the alcohol evaporated before the cake was served. Okay, if she says so…)

From the 19th century on, fruitcake became a traditional wedding cake in England. (My grandmother made a groom’s cake for my wedding out of fruitcake. I tried to carry on the tradition with my children, but they were less than enthused.)

Typical American fruitcakes are rich in fruit and nuts. Mail-order fruitcakes in America began in 1913. The two largest producers of fruit cakes are Southern companies with inexpensive access to large nut quantities, for which the expression "nutty as a fruitcake" was derived in 1935.

Most American mass-produced fruitcakes are alcohol-free, but traditional recipes are saturated with liqueurs or brandy and covered in powdered sugar, both of which prevent mold. Brandy (or wine) soaked linens can be used to store the fruitcakes and is one method of lengthening its shelf life. Some people feel that fruitcakes improve with age.

One reason fruitcakes have become the objects of ridicule is because of their questionable age. If prepared correctly, they do preserve well. When a fruitcake contains a good deal of alcohol, it can remain edible for many years. For example, a fruitcake baked in 1878 was kept as an heirloom by a family (Morgan L. Ford) in Tecumseh, Michigan. In 2003 it was sampled byJay Leno on The Tonight Show. A 106-year-old fruitcake discovered in 2017 by the Antarctic Heritage Trust was described as in "excellent condition" and "almost" edible.

My grandmother would probably suggest that in order to make the above-mentioned fruitcake more edible again, it needs a good wrap in a brandy-soaked length of cheesecloth for a month or two.

In my book, Bridgeport Holiday Brides, to whom did Beth give a Christmas fruitcake? The answer is found in this excerpt:

             “No wedding trip first, Mrs. Dodd?” the lawyer teased.

          “I figure on takin’ care of business first, Mr. Murphy. Besides, my weddin’ trip will be to my own land.” Beth pulled her reticule onto her lap pulled the strings apart. “How much you figure I owe you?”

          “I almost hate to charge you for the satisfaction of helping put Edwin Caldwell in his place, Mrs. Dodd. But, even lawyers have to eat.”

          Beth paid him the fee he requested, although she suspected he gave her a discount. She decided she’d bring him a Christmas fruitcake at the time of her final payment.

Please CLICK HERE to find the book description and buy link for Bridgeport Holiday Brides.

Have a wonderful holiday and a very merry Christmas. Enjoy that fruitcake!

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/menus/fruitcake1.htm

https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/the-secret-history-of-fruitcake

First Transcontinental Telegraph & a Family Connection

The American Civil War started in early 1861. Later that same year on October 24th, the workers of the two companies working under the Western Union Telegraph Company linked the eastern and western telegraph networks of the nation at Salt Lake City, Utah, completing a transcontinental line that for the first time allows instantaneous communication between Washington, D.C. and San Francisco. Stephen J. Field, chief justice of California, sent the first transcontinental telegram to President Abraham Lincoln, predicting that the new communication link would help ensure the loyalty of the western states to the Union during the Civil War.

With the passing of the Pacific Telegraph Act of 1860, Congress authorized a subsidy of $40,000 a year to any company building a telegraph line that would join the eastern and western networks. The Western Union Company won the bid. A milestone in electrical engineering, the line connected an existing network in the eastern United States to a small existing network in California by a link between Omaha and Carson City via Salt Lake City.

The newly created Overland Telegraph Company of California built the line eastward while Sibley's Pacific Telegraph Company of Nebraska built westward. The lines met in Salt Lake City, Utah. Construction began in 1861. The line moving westward from Omaha, Nebraska reached Salt Lake City on October 18th 1861. The line coming east from Carson City, Nevada reached the city and completed the line on October 24, 1861.

There were many other challenges to building the telegraph line. Wire and glass insulators had to be shipped by sea to San Francisco and carried eastward by horse-drawn wagons over the Sierra Nevada. The largely treeless Midwest and the Great Basin country meant poles needed to be transported east from the western mountains.

Indians also proved a problem. In the summer of 1861, a party of Sioux warriors cut part of the line that had been completed and took a long section of wire for making bracelets. Later, however, some of the Sioux wearing the telegraph-wire bracelets became sick, and a Sioux medicine man convinced them that the great spirit of the “talking wire” had avenged its desecration. Thereafter, the Sioux left the line alone.

From my personal family history, my great-grandfather, Edwin Brown, was called up to serve in the Civil War. To set the stage, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints still dominated the Salt Lake City region. Four years before the beginning of the Civil War, upon being convinced by enemies of the Church that the Mormons (the nickname given to the church by its enemies; the members referred to themselves as Saints) were in revolt against the United States, President Buchanan authorized a large Army to march to Utah Territory to subdue the people. Word got back to the people in Salt Lake City the intent was to annihilate the members of the church—genocide.

The Saints fought back and prevented Johnston’s entry into the Salt Lake valley during the winter of 1857-58—enough time for the citizens to temporarily relocate elsewhere. It ended up that the church president, Brigham Young, recognized the new governor sent by Washington D.C. However, he made it clear to Johnston that if he came to Salt Lake City, he must march his men through the city without stopping, or the Saints would torch Salt Lake City and burn it to the ground. The members of the church were done with building up cities only be driven out by mob violence so others could come in and inhabit what they had built. Johnston did just that and set up Camp Floyd to the west.

Yet, in 1861, at the outbreak of the Civil War, President Lincoln sent messages to the leaders of all the territories to the west to know if they intended to stand with the Union. Anyone who knew anything about Utah Territory knew, no matter who ran the civil government, to get the cooperation of the majority of the population, they must go through Brigham Young.

There remained an uneasy truce between the soldiers who came to quell a rebellion that did not exist and the Saints. When the Civil War broke out, Sidney Johnston had already been transferred to California to head the Pacific Division of the Army. The soldiers at Camp Floyd left for the East to join the war effort. Yet, Brigham Young was the first in the territories to send the message back to President Lincoln that the Saints would stand with the Union.

After that, Utah was asked to raise a company, which it did. Brigham Young asked for each family to send one man to serve under Lot Smith (who led the resistance against Johnston’s Army a few years earlier). Brigham Young himself came to the Brown family with his request.

The Brown family had immigrated to the United States from England in 1853 and believed in the practice of primogeniture where the oldest son inherits the bulk of the estate upon the father’s death. Because my second great-grandfather died many years earlier, his oldest son, Henry, inherited and had the responsibility for providing for his mother and younger siblings in addition to his own wife and children. It fell to the second son, my great-grandfather, to serve.

As with most volunteer units of the day, the men were called up for a six month enlistment. Their assignment was to protect the newly-completed telegraph line between Green River, Wyoming and northern Utah from both Indians and Confederate saboteurs intent upon disrupting communications between Washington D.C. and California—the source of gold President Lincoln counted on to help finance the Union Army. Strung out along the route of the telegraph and far from civilization, the men suffered from the elements and the lack of a consistent food supply.

At the end of the six months, it was decided this unit did not need as many men. Those who owned their own horses were re-enlisted for an additional six months. Those like my great-grandfather who were on foot were mustered out to return home.

With the completion of the transcontinental telegraph, the Pony Express became obsolete overnight. It would be another nine years before trains crossed the vast Prairie. The transcontinental telegraph served as the only method of near-instantaneous communication between the east and west coasts during the 1860s.

Sources:

Wikipedia

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/western-union-completes-the-first-transcontinental-telegraph-line

http://learningabe.info/Transcontinental_Telegraph_System.html

Family history of Robyn Echols

~o0o~

Bridgeport Holiday Brides, my fifth and final book in the series, Eastern Sierra Brides 1884 takes place in November. It wraps up the remaining romances in the series. You may read the book description and find the purchase link by CLICKING HERE.

The following is one of my favorite excerpts from the book. It takes place during the wedding reception for Val and Beth:

         "And your sister is delightful." A twinkle entered her eye and a grin lit her face. "And I understand she soon may also be joining the family in an even closer capacity very soon."

         Beth's eyes twitched with suspicion. "Who told you that?"

         Barbara's eyes widened and she brought her fingers to her lips. "Oh! I hope I didn't let the cat out of the bag. Luther made a special trip up to Carson City to buy Hazel a ring. He stopped by and stayed with us coming and going. It's a beautiful ring, Beth. Haven't you seen it yet?"

         "No, I ain't. And Hazel ain't of age. Luther finagled his way into courtin' her, but he ain't said nothin' to me about askin' for her hand."

         "Oh. I'm sorry, Beth. I thought you knew."

         "No need apologizin'. Right glad you spoke up."

         Beth's gaze roamed over the crowd until she located Luther with Hazel on his arm while he chatted with friends.

         Once Luther caught the eye of his newest sister-in-law and realized she was glaring at him, he straightened to his full height then froze in place, like prey hypnotized by a snake. As soon as Beth started toward him with a resolute stride, he turned to Hazel and whispered in her ear.

         Three long strides on his part, and Luther and Beth stood face to face.

         Beth spoke first. "You and me need to talk, Luther Caldwell. Somewhere private."

         Hazel followed Luther, standing behind him. She looked on with concern. "Bethie?"

         "Luther'll be right back, Hazel. Him and I got a bone to pick over."

         Luther followed Beth outside the barn. Although most of the wedding guests were in the barn where it was relatively warm, there were enough in the yard that Beth had to search for a spot where she could speak to Luther in relative privacy. She finally spotted a tree on the far side of the yard next to one of the corrals. She strode in that direction, knowing Luther followed close behind her. Once she was far enough away from everyone she spun on the ball of her foot to face her brother-in-law. Luther almost toppled over in the effort to keep from running into Beth.

         Her arms akimbo, Beth glared at Luther. "Heard you done bought Hazel a ring."

         Luther's expression of consternation turned to a mischievous grin. "Has Barbara been talking to you? She never could keep things like that to herself."

         "Good she did, because you sure ain't been talkin' to me. You give that ring to Hazel yet?"

         Luther turned serious. "No, Beth. I haven't said anything. I wanted to get past yours and Val's wedding. I didn't want to say anything too soon and have the news of it take away from yours and Val's big day."

         "That's right thoughtful of you, Luther, but you know she ain't of age. You need to get my say-so before you go askin' her."

         Luther gave another sheepish grin. "That was another reason I planned to wait. I figured once you were happily married, you would settle down and be apt to be more agreeable to our engagement. I had planned to ask her so we could announce it at Thanksgiving dinner."

 

Columbia, California’s Haunted Fallon House & Theater

Like many old towns that are not “ghost towns” because they are still in existence, Columbia State Park, a preserved California gold rush town in the western foothills of the Sierra-Nevada mountains has its share of ghosts. This post I am going to share a bit about the Fallon House and Fallon Theater

Remaining since the days of the California Gold Rush, the Fallon Hotel was built by an Irish stone cutter in 1859. Original owner, Owen Fallon expanded the hotel in 1863 by purchasing an adjoining building and later the Gunn Saloon. These three buildings became Fallon’s Hotel. Today, visions of the Gold Rush era are often seen in this historic building. Though smoking is not allowed, guests can often smell the odor, along with that of whiskey. A female apparition is often seen in Room 9, and in the theater lights seemingly turn on and off of their own accord and shadow images are often spotted.

Visitors and guests often comment on a strong odor of smoke in different parts of the hotel, although California does not allow smoking in any of its public buildings. Many feel it is reminder that during the course of its history, the building has burned down twice. Also, its owner, Mr. Fallon was known for smoking cigars. Guests also detect the smell of whiskey even though the saloon was replaced by an ice cream parlor long ago (a must-see place to stop by for a wonderful treat, by the way). During the remodeling, a phantom youth was often seen climbing through a back window. When the construction crew rushed inside, there never was anyone around.  They came to the conclusion it was a youthful spirit searching for a sweet treat.

Guests in Room #13 are often startled by a young woman wearing a Victorian gown who disappears as quickly as she appears. She moves from room to room. Also, a little boy has been seen in Room #3 and the second-floor hallway. He likes to play and takes other children’s toys and hides them. In Rooms #1 and #6, guests have seen shadowy apparitions. Strange noises and cold spots in the halls and guest rooms have lead visiting paranormal experts to conclude the building is definitely haunted.

The hotel and the Fallon Theater are the same building, so most guests don’t take much notice of the mustachioed gentlemen seen occasionally in the upstairs halls. They assume he is in costume and part of a play. The ghost of James Fallon has been seen roaming backstage and in the halls of his theater, usually wearing a top hat and a long coat surrounded by cigar smoke.

My one and only ghost story, Haunted by Love, is set across the Sierra-Nevada Mountains in Bridgeport, California. Known as the “White Lady,” she has been spotted many times in Room 16 of what was once the Leavitt House and is now the Bridgeport Inn. There is even a historical plaque bearing record of her. No one knows who she was, or any reason why she stays. However, I have my own theory, and it is included in my book.

To read the book description and find the purchase link for Haunted by Love, please CLICK HERE.

Sources:

Williams, Nancy K.; Haunted Hotels of the California Gold Country

http://fabulousfoods.com/articles/21946/true-ghost-stories-of-tuolumne-county-california